Rock Island daily Argus., 1887-04-12
LITERARY NEW YORK.
THE NEWSPAPERS SAID TO SUR
PASS THE MAGAZINES.

The Periodical Literature of the Me-
tropolis-The New York Press Remark
ably Comprehensive in Its Scope and
Character-pIodern s.Grub Street,
The literary product of New York naturally
falls into two general classes, one comprising
the new books and the other the press, taking
that word in its comprehensive meaning. Far
be it from me TO confound the press with
literature, but the two overlap each other,
there being a literary side to the press and
periodical aspect of literature,
In analyzing the literary life of New York
it will be found useful to observe the above
classification and to consider the two parts
separately, taking first the periodical htera-
ture of the city. There are G42 newspapers
and periodicals in New York And taking
these first III the mass, without regard to their
literary character, this great body of printed
product includes 33 daily newspapers, 259
weellies. and 234 monthlies There are also
no less than % quarterlies, name that GER
tainly has literary sound. The remainder
of the 642 appear at various intervals
The New York press is remarkably com
prehensive in its scope and character. Nine
foreign languages are represented, the Ger
man having a long lead with total of 62
periodicals, The Spanish are next with 0,
then come the French with Z the Scandina-
Wan and Bohemian with each the Italian
with 3, the Hebrew with 2, and the Polish
and Hungarian with each. There are. 50
periodicals designated under the head of the
religious press, representing the following list
of denominations: Hebrew, Baptist Spirit
ualst, Catholic, Methodist Episcopal, Evan
gelical, Reformed, Unsectarian, Episcopal,
Presbyterian, Swedenhorgian, Free Thought,
Congregational, Undenomnational Re
formed Catholic, Methodist, Religio -Scien-
tific, Christian. Free Methodist, WESLEYAN.
THE EDUCATIONAL PRESS.
The educational press, so called, includes
fourteen college papers, three journals Of
education and periodicals. devoted to pen
manship, photography and deaf mutes
There are eight law periodicals, twelve de
voted to insurance, and twenty two to finance.
Eight treat OF science in all her aspects, and
mining, electricity, and engineering have
three special organs each. sport in its wide
sense inspires fourteen, music nine the drama
seven, art four, military life four, and the
fashions sixteen. Various social organizations
publish thirteen more. There are four TEN
perance organs and one voice for woman suf
frage. Finally may be mentionedtthe trade
journals, though few of these have any rela-
ton to literature There are altogether 100
of them Of which forty-fve deal with com
mereial interests, nine with railroads. fifteen
with dry goods and clothing, and six each
with the book trade and with scientific inven-
tons
Nov, perhaps a third of these periodicals
have a literary standard, and make their
editors, contributors and correspondents live
up to it. And in many cases this standard is
high Nor is this 50 only with respect to the
press that is deliberate in its periodicity When
all is admitted that need be as TO the sovenly
characteristics of daily journalism, it may
safely be contended that the thirty y-three daily
newspapers print a vast amount of good
literary work Indeed, if NAV he permitted
to free myself in the matter, | believe there is
a higher,hteraiy standard in the newspapers
than in the magazines. The necessity of
hasty publication in the case of the daily press
results NJ much slopwork
NATTER OF aEKIT.
But where copy can he prepared with
any leisure, as for example. for the Sunday
issues, an almost disheartening amount of
real literature is produced. The daily papers.
too, as everybody knows, have the help of
the ahlest writers of the age in their critical
functions and special literary features
Urged by rivalry, the leading newspapers are
eager to buy matter that has graphic merit,
and many of the brightest minds are exchang-
ing a solid fame for an immediate mess of
pottage in the seductive guise of space rates
The weekly and monthly press are more apt
to assume a virtue of fine writing" if they
have it not. But many of them are war
ranted in calling themselves literary. Out of
the entire $50 there may he 100. or certainly
fifty, that have a right to I've included in the
literary life of New York These periodicals
attract To the city and encourage to effort a
very large and interesting body of keen
minds AMI trained pens The modern Grub
street Is as crowded as ever. but it is the
back writer's own fault. generally in these
days, if he or she cannot make q decent
living
We have seen that the field of work Is as
vide as human thought Itself, and in each
path eager rivals seek tine best thaJ Is offered
Here in this city, beyond dispute, is the great
literary market Of the country. and if one has
literary wares of merit they are pretty sure
to find customer. But because it is the hest
market it is a cruel one. II is the place for
the good, not the poor; for the strong, not
the weak. So let Young David lie sure of
his sling before he pushes forth 10 defy the
Philistines.-Cor. Po~tnn Advertiser
Three rows of small buttons are seen
on little boys jackets for spring wear.